The First Time
by julia-neHH
Summary: The first time he saw her she was dancing like no one was watching, but he was. She was the girl he kept seeing everywhere. It wasn't a coincidence and he wasn't much of a believer in destiny. But hey, maybe heaven and earth combined forces and they bumped and he fell, and everything seemed right. With her Walkman and her headphones, she stole his breath and he didn't mind.*OneShot


The first time he saw her, he was meeting up with his friends at a new java place, and then she passed by him. Well, actually she was walking on the other side of the street, straight out jamming from her Walkman. Her headphones, a little too big for her head, were encrusted with wood and they tuned her out of this miserable world.

Eddie stopped and stared. His eyes mesmerized the way her hips swayed and dipped, the way her arms did a shimmy and how her feet fell into rhythm with whatever she was listening. Her lips didn't move. In fact, for some uncertain reason, Eddie knew she was humming the song, or maybe it was the instrumental part. Whatever, he thought, she is beautiful.

He forgot how breathing functioned for a second. He didn't notice how his heart was hammering into his chest.

She disappeared from Eddie's sight just as fast as she had come. She was gone. He had the sudden urge to follow her. He would've but then his friend called him. He turned, the longing feeling to follow the girl faded into a flicker, and his blonde friend greeted him with a suggestive smile.

* * *

><p>The second time Eddie saw her, she was sitting on the steps of the school's stairs. Her headphones were in place. Her Walkman was somewhere in her bag. She was reading, Eddie noticed. And although he wasn't much of a reader nowadays, he noticed she was reading Wuthering Heights and at that, he wanted to snort and roll his eyes. He took note of re-reading the book, even as much as he hated it.<p>

This time, he didn't forget to breathe and his heart was in check, but he did feel his arms shake and his hands become sweaty as he approached the brunette.

She was engrossed in the novel at hand. Eddie was engrossed in taking every detail about the girl a few meters away from him. His eyes trailed down from her head, to her forehead, to her furrowed eyebrows in concentration, to her scrunched nose, to her neck, to her arms, to her crisscrossed legs and then his gaze flickered back to her face and his eyes absorbed the way her lips puckered up in a pout.

She didn't notice the neurotic wreck of a boy approach her. He was just beginning to clear his throat, sum up enough courage and say "hello" when all was doomed. A blonde person tackled him into a hug. His resolve to talk to the girl who had stolen his breath away wavered and his blonde friend kissed him hard, and kissed him long.

The last bell rung, morning classes had begun, and the girl along with everyone else went to class. Eddie gently pushed his friend away from him and gave her a scowl. The blonde simply smiled and blew him a kiss before turning away to class. Eddie sighed, and he remembered seeing the girl tear her eyes away from the book when his friend had assaulted him. She had rolled her eyes, but it was enough for Eddie to see that her eyes were of the color hazel.

He finally decided that he had a weakness for girls with brown hair and hazel eyes who were not afraid to jam out of a Walkman.

* * *

><p>The third time he saw her, he didn't think much of it. He reasoned it was just a mere coincidence that he kept ending up in the same places as the girl.<p>

It was at 5 o'clock in the afternoon that Eddie began looking for his Wuthering Heights copy. He didn't find it, so he grabbed his wallet and keys and marched up to his car and drove towards the shopping center in the Valley.

He was heading towards the library when he notice a certain brunette with headphones on. His mouth formed a smile, and he approached her. Though his hands were not sweaty, his arms were shaking and his heart unceremoniously speeded up its pace without his consent.

She was sitting on one of the cafeteria's chairs. An open book laid in front of her and her bag sat on the chair beside her. Her elbows were pressed on the table as her chin pushed against her hands. Eddie saw how her head bobbed along the beat of the music she was listening to. Suddenly, he wished he knew what she was listening to so he'd find a connection to her- through music.

He approached her, and Eddie was delighted he'd finally meet the girl that has been haunting his waking thoughts for quite a while now.

The nervous boy knew exactly what he'd do. He would sit on the chair opposite to her. He would smile and introduce himself. He saw himself getting to know the girl. He saw walls breaking down, he saw fears being crushed, and he saw a new spark beginning to ignite. He saw the girl standing beside him. Finally, he saw himself falling slowly but surely with the brunette, and she too would fall in love with him.

He gave himself a shake. What the hell am I thinking? he thought. He was now standing in front of her. He bit his lip, then he cleared his throat, but she would not look up. In fact, she held up her index finger, coaxing him to wait. His eyebrows pressed together in confusion and she gave out a long exhale. A minute passed when her eyes finally met his.

Eddie forgot how breathing worked. He even forgot why living things need to breathe.

"Did you lose something?"

He was tongue-tied and the girl was growing impatient.

"I guess not," she had whispered and her gaze drifted back to the book. Eddie cleared his throat again, gaining some strength and he had her attention again.

"Can I sit here?" His previous plan had failed. Maybe he did lose something: his ability to be suave with girls. This is ridiculous, he thought, why the hell am I this nervous?!

The girl looked at him as if he was insane. Her eyes scanned the cafeteria. He knew that there were some empty tables. She sighed slightly annoyed, slightly confused. "Sure. I mean, it's not like there are free tables, like, everywhere."

Eddie quickly sat down opposite to her. His eyes held hers for a second before she completely ignored him, and pumped up the volume of her Walkman.

A few minutes passed, and Eddie stared at the girl. It wasn't prudent of him to just ogle at her, but he didn't care. He was infatuated, and he wanted her to notice him. He wanted her to at least acknowledge that he was sitting in front of her. That he existed.

The girl wouldn't budge. But she was growing impatient and rather curious. Why was this random boy staring at her? Didn't he know it's rude to stare? Didn't he know that he was a complete stranger to her? Didn't he know he had wonderful options to sit somewhere else?

"Do I have something on my face?"

She had closed her book, and Eddie noticed she was reading another one. He took note of asking her about it as he never heard of it. In response to her question, Eddie shook his head. "Nah."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Then can you quit staring at me? It's uncomfortable."

He nodded at her and a smirk appeared. He found a pleasure in irritating her. Her cheeks had flared up, and her nose had scrunched up. She was adorable. She gave a 'humph' and glared at him.

"You know, there's a like a bunch of tables here. The selection is pretty astounding. There's an empty seat over the window and you can stare at the people passing by. Or you can sit next to the coffee machine and you'd have the chance to steal in some coffee. Or there's that table over there, next to the wall, far-far away from me. Just, you know, so many incredible options."

She was trying to get rid of him. This time it was Eddie who wouldn't budge. "I'm fine here."

"You are? That's great. Good for you. But I'm not fine that you're fine here."

"Oh, why's that?"

"Because you're staring at me and it's creepy."

"You stare at your book. I don't hear the book complaining."

She twitched. "That is such bad argument."

"No, I think it's pretty valid. Maybe the book hates it being read. Maybe the book hates it being touched. Maybe the book hates it being open. You don't know."

"What? That makes zero sense. The book is not alive. It cannot move. It cannot speak. It cannot function. It can't even develop a thought process, therefore, it cannot think you infuriating twat!"

"Whoa, you need some coffee."

"No, I do not. What I need is for you to get up and leave me alone with my book!"

"No can do."

She was giving up. "Why not?"

He was enjoying every minute. "Because I'm comfortable here and you make quite the company."

"Shut up." She grumbled. Her face as red as his mother's ruby necklace. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to stare?" Ouch, he thought, that hit a spot.

"No," he smiled, "She couldn't. She died when I was born."

She opened her mouth, and then closed it in shock. "Oh." She leaned back in her chair. "Well, this just got depressing. I didn't know. I take it back."

"It's okay." Eddie shrugged and took his chance. "You're right, you didn't know which I'd really like to change that."

"What?" She crossed her arms around her chest, as if shielding herself. "What do you mean?"

"I'd like to get to know."

"Is that why-" She stopped mid-sentence in recognition. "You're an official idiot." She began putting her stuff away, and Eddie grew alarmed. She was leaving. What had he said? "I'm sorry, but I don't exist just to be an entertainment to some jock who apparently has nothing better to do but play around with people and their feelings."

"What are you talking about?" He stood up as well. Jock? I'm not even in a sport!, he thought.

"Listen man, I'm not going to be some toy for you and your friends."

"A toy- No, that's not it. I just want to get to know-"

"Is this a bet? Who put you up to this? Chloe? Adrianna?"

"No- they have nothing to do with this-"

"So I am right? This a game for you-"

"No, no! That's not what I meant." Eddie shook his head and tried to get a hold of the girl but she pushed him away. "Don't touch me!" He did as he was told.

"Can you please tell them real nice to leave me the fuck alone?"

She began walking towards the entrance and Eddie had two options: let her go with whatever bad impression she had on him now and never talk to her again, or stop her and tell her the truth. Of how he couldn't take her of his mind ever since he saw her dancing across the street.

He didn't do either, but he did stand in front of her to stop her from leaving. She did stop walking and aggravatingly waited for him to make some excuse for Adrianna and Chloe, the twin devils.

"I don't know what you are talking about because for one thing: I am not a jock of some sort. Though I like sports, I like music more." He slowly placed his hands up, careful not to touch the furious girl. "Second, I don't what Adrianna and Chloe have to do with this, but I am not involved with them if that's what you're thinking. Nobody put me up to this, I just saw you and I don't know, I had the urge to get to know you. There's nothing bad in that, right?" Eddie smiled at her, trying to charm her. He didn't know if it worked but he did notice her face turn much more scarlet than before. She looked away from him.

"So you saw me and came up to me?"

"Yeah." He nodded eagerly, his smile widening. He was getting to her or so he thought.

"I smell bullshit. I don't believe you."

And she walked away leaving him dumbfounded.

What the hell, he thought, just happened?

* * *

><p>The fourth time he saw her it was a week after the cafeteria incident.<p>

He was walking one way. She was walking the other way. Their eyes interlocked and she turned around, walking away from him.

Eddie did not understand why she was avoiding him. He did explain himself. Anyways, what was her deal? He just said he wanted to get to know her. Did she have some trust issues? That would explain why she was weird about Adrianna and Chloe. Eddie shivered at the thought of the two girls. They were the cause of most of his nightmares.

His pace increased as he walked towards the reluctant girl. A week had gone by and he'll be honest, it was torturous. They went to the same school and yet, she did very well in hiding from him. They didn't end their first meeting on good terms. Heck, their first conversation was atrocious. And he forgot to ask her name or at least introduce himself.

She disappeared from his sight as she made a turn. He quickened his pace and made the same turn.

"Why are you stalking me?"

He found her standing in front of him. He had to grasp her arms to ease up the collision. Eddie quickly let go of her, though he missed her warmth instantly.

"I'm not following you." He dismissed her accusatory glare. "My next class is this way."

"School's over. The last bell rung about an hour ago." Her eyebrows raised. Eddie sweat-dropped. Busted.

"Oh, right. I'm going to the parking lot."

She nodded. "The lot is on the other side of school."

He sweat dropped again. "Oh. I know that. I'm taking the long way."

"You're a liar." She stated. The girl shook her head. "You're a liar and a stalker and a stupid jock."

Eddie twitched. "I told you I'm not a jock."

"Yes you are." She eyed him. "You're a music jock." At that Eddie smiled. "Well, if you put it that way, then yeah, I'm a jock."

Eddie observed the girl again. Her hair was in a loose ponytail and she had little-to no makeup. To the others she would look average looking, or somewhat pretty. She looked breathtakingly beautiful to Eddie. He observed her and he noticed something different this time.

"No headphones today?"

The girl looked dumbfounded for a moment before she blushed. "Um no, they got real wet and now they don't work." She looked sad and irritated. Mostly irritated. "Whatever, we're done here. Please leave me alone." She said while turning away from him. Eddie let her go for the second time. He nodded and turned the opposite way from her.

* * *

><p>The fifth time he saw her was at the shopping center's cafeteria. He saw her sitting down with another open book but not headphones. She was lazily fiddling with her Walkman. She was able to tune everyone out, even without her headphone's help.<p>

Eddie didn't approach her. Instead, he headed to a Best-Buy to pick from a selection of headphones. He found one just like hers.

* * *

><p>The sixth time he saw her was at the library. He was looking for a much needed book for his extended essay and that's when the brunette caught his eyes. The unopened headphones box was squished somewhere in his backpack. He had bought headphones identical to hers.<p>

The girl was scanning through the fiction section. He automatically approached her and took out the box. The girl looked up at Eddie and sighed. "What do you want?" There was no irritation in her voice, and there was no scowl on her face. Eddie took this as a good sign.

He couldn't help but smile. "I'm not going to hold you long." He pushed the box towards her. "Here. I noticed you haven't worn your headphones so I bought you new ones." The girl looked surprised. "You shouldn't have done that."

"I know, but I wanted to. Take it." He pushed it again towards her and she gently took it from his hands.

"Thanks… Why did you-"

"The first time I saw you, you were across the street dancing to your Walkman. And each time I have seen you, you've always had your headphones on."

The girl provided him with a small blush that Eddie suddenly adored. "That still doesn't explain the headphones."

"I don't know, I guess what I'm trying to say I hope that I get to see you dance carelessly like that again."

She blushed and Eddie smiled.

"See you around."

The girl nodded and a small smile formed. Eddie got stuck. "Thank you." He quickly left the library. As soon as he was out, his hand clutched his chest, the part where his heart was beating wildly. "What the hell was that?" He whispered.

* * *

><p>The seventh time he saw her she was sitting again on the school's cafeteria tables. His lips perked up as he saw the headphones he bought her attached to her head. He approached the girl.<p>

Eddie was in his gym clothes. He stopped a few meters in front of her. He grew frantic. He needed to tidy up a bit. He couldn't, shouldn't, wouldn't, mustn't talk to her all dirty and sweaty. Before he turned around, the girl looked up at him and a smile formed on her face almost instantly.

Eddie's feet moved him forward unconsciously. And then, all of the sudden, he was sitting next to her.

"Hey there stalker." She pushed him lightly with her shoulder. Eddie did the same. "Hey there stranger. How are the headphones?"

"They work. Thanks again for them."

Eddie gave a slight nod. The girl sighed, resolved. "I'm sorry." He looked at her confused. "For?"

"I said some mean things a few weeks ago, and I see that I was completely wrong."

"About?"

"You." She blushed and Eddie held back a fist pump of triumph. He declared it was too soon for that. "I mean, you're obviously nothing like Adrianna and Chloe, and you seem nicer than most people and I probably came off as a complete bitch and I'm sorry."

Eddie was touched. Finally things were clear with this girl. "Why did you think I had anything to do with them?"

"Well, I did see you kiss one of them and I just assumed…"

"That was all Chloe. She's just a friend, nothing more."

"Some friend she is." The girl muttered.

"No, not that kind of friend. She's just very open and I mean it, she is nothing to me."

"Yeah, yeah. I don't care either way." She turned her face away from Eddie and he leaned in closer. The girl smiled, a blush decorating her face. "You stink. Get away from me."

"Nah, I'm comfortable." He leaned in closer and the girl's heart went on a frenzy. "You're annoying."

"I try my best to be."

"Your other _friend_ wants to kill me."

"Who?"

"Adrianna."

Eddie looked up and he noticed Adrianna glaring at both of them. Well, glaring at the girl. Eddie frowned at her, and she quickly stopped staring at the girl.

"I don't get it." Eddie gaze drifted to the girl. "What?"

"I don't get it why you're here and not with her."

"What do you mean?"

"She's gorgeous." The girl stared at her Walkman. "And she's everything a guy wants."

"And what's that?"

The girl looked at him pointedly. "Tits and ass."

"That's not everything a guy wants." Eddie defended. "There's legs, face, and whatever fetish there is like foot, hand, toes, arm-"

"Okay, okay." She caught him off with a smile. "Are you going to be like one of those pretentious assholes and say that you're sexually attracted to personality?"

"No, I'll be like one of those pretentious assholes and say that I'm sexually attracted to intelligence which Adrianna Masters and Chloe Carter 100% lack." She pushed him again and he couldn't hold a smile.

"That was mean. I'm sure they're smart, just not book smart." Eddie looked at the girl with surprise. Why was she defending them? Didn't she hate them? He shrugged. "They're not the type of girls I see myself spending the rest of my life with."

This caught her attention. "Oh? And what type do you see yourself spending your life with?"

"Ya know, the type of girls who still listen to mix tapes on a Walkman, and dances out in the plain street with headphones on."

The girl blushed. "You're an idiot."

At that instant, the bell rung. Eddie stood up and smiled at the girl. "I'll see you."

The girl nodded. "See you." And they parted ways.

* * *

><p>The eighth time he saw her was the library. She was skimming again through the fiction section. Eddie approached her and she smiled instantly.<p>

"Hey there."

"Oh, I'm not labeled 'stalker' now?"

"No, you are not. But it is only polite you say 'hello' back."

"Hey there stranger." The girl glared at him, then her eyes drifted down his body. A small blush appeared on her cheeks. "You look fashionable."

Eddie smiled "If that's your way of saying I look ravishing, then thank you."

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Already did."

There was an awkward silence. The girl picked up a blue covered book, opened it, and began skimming through the table of contents. Eddie carefully leaned back on the book shelf. He stared at the girl. She looked beautiful. Even with her simple attire, her hair down, and her headphones in place, she was beautiful. Eddie took in her crimson cheeks, her long lashes, her plump lips, and her gleaming hazel eyes. His heart summersaulted, and his breath got stuck. He could not control his reactions every time she was this close to him. So close to touch. So close to pull her to him. So close to kiss her with all the desire that burned in him since the day he saw her.

"Are you going somewhere tonight?"

"Huh?" The girl looked up at him.

"I mean, are you busy tonight?"

"Um, no. Not really. Why?"

"I'm going to a party and I was wondering if you'd like to come."

The girl was quiet for a moment, contemplating. "And where is this party?"

She hadn't said no. Eddie's hopes skyrocketed. "Adrianna's house."

"Oh." She closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. "I can't go, sorry, I forgot I do have plans."

Eddie knew she had said no because it was Adrianna's place. He wanted to know why the girl didn't like them, but that was another question to ask another day.

He wasn't going to let her go that easy, not this time.

"We don't have to go to her party if you don't want to. There's this new café that opened a few weeks ago, we can go there if you'd like."

She was silent for a moment. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"If that's what you want, then yeah."

"Then I can't go." Eddie's heart dropped. "What-why?"

The girl smiled at him, and his heart restarted. "Because you haven't asked for my name yet."

"Oh," Eddie smiled back. "I'm Eddie, and I'd really like to know you."

The girl smile widened and his heart kept stopping and going. "I'm Loren, and I'd like that." Loren paused for a moment and Eddie crossed his fingers for what was next.

"Now, how about that date you mentioned?"

* * *

><p><strong>Hello. I've been away for a long time now. This was a one-shot that was running through my head, now it's finished! Anyways, I'll probably make a sequel of it. Hope you liked it! Review, follow, favorite and all that good stuff.<strong>

**Story based on these pictures: on the tumblr britties: /****post/106448739035/i-got-bored-loren-and-eddie-somewhere**


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